8 hours ago
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Michael Carrick has said Manchester United could look to sign a left winger this summer - even though they spent the past three transfer windows under Ruben Amorim getting rid of wide players.
Historically, many successful United sides have been built around wingers.
George Best, Ryan Giggs, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo are regarded among some of the club's greatest players - while others such as Steve Coppell, Gordon Hill, Willie Morgan and Andrei Kanchelskis also made a significant impact.
Although not a winger in the orthodox sense, Busby Babe Eddie Colman was nicknamed 'snake hips' for his ability to change direction at top speed.
United began last season with five experienced wide players.
Between them, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Amad Diallo cost the club £173m.
Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho both came through the United's youth ranks, although the latter was at Atletico Madrid before moving to Manchester as a 16-year-old in 2020.
Sancho is currently on loan at Aston Villa, having spent last season at Chelsea, who paid a £5m clause to send the 25-year-old back to United last summer rather than sign him permanently.
His contract is set to expire in the summer, and it seems unlikely United will keep the England international, signed by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2021. Solskjaer intended to play him on the right but the player said his preference was to play on the left.
Antony left for Real Betis in a £21.65m deal last September, a couple of days after Garnacho joined Chelsea for £40m.
Rashford, who also prefers to play on the left, spent the second half of last season at Villa following a fall-out with Amorim, and then joined Barcelona on loan last summer.
Barca have a £26m option to buy Rashford, and talks have started over the possibility of triggering it.
However, sources close to the player have indicated no agreement is in place - and given Rashford has two years left on his £325,000-a-week United contract, further negotiation is going to be required.
It leaves Amad as the only orthodox wide player available to Carrick, although he has also used Patrick Dorgu, who joined from Lecce as a wing-back under Amorim, in a more offensive role.
Although it is not clear yet who will be in charge once the season has reached its conclusion, Carrick has repeatedly said the decisions he is making are for the club's long-term interests.
Asked if left-wing specifically was an area that might need addressing, Carrick replied: "I think you're always looking at the balance of the team and the squad to give you the utmost flexibility, so it's definitely something to look at, for sure."
Pressed again, Carrick said: "Quite possibly."
